Puppets
by Soyna
Summary: Vincent tells a little boy what he thought of each of his friends as he goes over some finger puppets that Reeve made of the heroes and enemy's of Gaia.


**Puppets**

* * *

><p><strong>By<strong>:Albedosreqium / Soyna

**Setting: **Thirty or so years after Advent Children and Dirge

**Rating, Genre and Warnings: **T. Drama and a little angsty. Some harsh language. Some characters you will find are dead, so that may upset those that are sensitive.

**Characters: **Vincent and mention of all the others.

**Disclaimer: **All related Final Fantasy names and characters are copyrighted by the almighty Square Enix©. I do not profit from this endeavour.

**Summary and Additional Information: **

For Abnormal for winning my Kiriban.

This one was supposed to be for the Lulz… and it isn't very Lulzy at all.

A lot of head canon stuff here in this little story. Muses are sometimes fickle.

Vincent tells a little boy what he thought of each of his friends as he goes over some finger puppets.

* * *

><p>Vincent was standing in the study of Reeve Tuesti's grand house, waiting for him to arrive. It had been a while since he had seen him last, and the house had changed vastly from a year ago.<p>

Also, if he remembered correctly, the house had gone through a bunch of renovations, as it had been nearly destroyed.

The study was the only room that remained same, and he found comfort in its old familiarity. The books, the old paintings on the wall and the memorable furniture made him a little more comfortable.

The suitcase that sat on the table was something that he had nearly forgotten about. He ran his hand over it. He tried to remember the first time that he had seen it, and he figured it had to have been almost twenty or so years. He had been there when Reeve presented it to a little girl that he had adopted as his daughter for her sixth birthday. It had been hidden away when she outgrew the small pieces inside.

The day the child had opened the box, she had jumped around the room with glee, bouncing into Reeve's lap and giving the man a large hug and kiss before she went back to the box. She started to pull out each and every single puppet and babbled like only a child could.

If he recalled correctly, she had played with them until she turned twelve. He had not remembered seeing the box around after that; but then, he hadn't been looking.

He opened the case and saw the little finger puppets all lined up in their compartments on the bottom, and the accessories that were inlaid in the lid. He didn't know how much time Reeve must have spent making all the little pieces, but they were quite detailed. Some of the accessories had to be replaced over time, but they were all still there.

There was only one puppet missing. He let his fingers move there and then frowned at the gap.

There was a soft sound of fabric rustling and he looked across the table to see an unruly mop of strawberry-blond hair and bright blue eyes looking at him. Vincent should have known the boy would have followed him in there. He always was his shadow when he was around, and Vincent oftentimes found him underfoot. He was quite an active boy with a lot of questions; he was never afraid to voice his opinion, thought or inform everyone of what someone else said. The simple clothes that the boy was wearing were too large on his small frame as he tried to make himself taller and bigger than he really was.

Vincent was aware that they were worried about his short stature. He was rather small for a boy his age. Vincent understood that he had not grown much since he was five years old.

He had reminded Reeve about the boy's family history and being tall was not a common trait. Reeve's rebuttal that his daughter did not know that she was adopted and that he never wanted her to know. He was not about to tell his grandchild that he was only an adoptive grandfather after all this time. Reeve didn't want to cause his family any more drama and pain than what it already had endured.

Vincent argued with him that they had the right to know the truth about their past. He laid out the warning about how secrets would catch up to them eventually, but Reeve was determined to "keep them safe from their past".

"Those were mommies," the boy said in a soft voice and pointed at the box.

"Yes, I was there when she got them, Louis," he said and tried to keep his face neutral.

Vincent was making an effort not to scare everyone with a glance, though he hadn't been able to scare off the boy, even when he had tried. Vincent found it hard at times not to scare people. It seemed startled people even more as time moved forward.

Louis' little hands reached out and tugged on the corner of the box causing it to make a scrapping sound as it was dragged. He pointed to one of the figures and then looked at him. "You look like that one."

"That's supposed to be me," Vincent said and he examined the finger puppet that strongly resembled him. It was wearing a tattered red cape, had unruly yarn for black hair and had little red beads for the eyes. He believed that Reeve had actually stolen a piece of his cape to make the thing.

He had not been pleased to see the likeness in the box when it was first revealed.

"Do you ever change your clothes?"

He pressed his lips together and glared at the boy. Louis cringed but tugged the box again. "Mommy said that grandpa made all these for her when she was a kid."

He nodded.

"Mommy said that grandpa made one of all the friends that helped save the world and the enemies that they fought," Louis said and picked up another figure. It was that of the Mog that Cait rode when it travelled around with the group when they were trying to stop Sephiroth. Reeve had filled the box with a lot of the memories of the past; both good and bad.

"Grandpa is a little weird, isn't he?" Louis said with a smile as he placed the Mog on his finger. The puppets were too large for him and he had to place it over to of his fingers to hold it in place.

Louis really was small for his age and he was beginning to wonder if Reeve did indeed have something to worry about. The boy had gone through a lot in the last little while; even though he was showing no signs that he was bothered by it at all.

"Yes, he is," Vincent said as he looked at the boy, who had picked up the little Cait puppet. The puppet had a lot of detail. It was obvious that Reeve was a biased for which of the characters he had preference. The detail was quite realistic in nature and it explained the small robot that always was on Reeve's shoulder as of late.

Louis put Cait on his fingers. "What were they really like?"

He blinked and looked at the box, not understanding the question.

"You know, being part of the story. Everyone tells me bits and pieces of all this all the time — even though I'm pretty sure that they aren't telling me the interesting parts — but I want to know what the people were really like."

He contemplated the child's words. He was not sure what he was really asking and what he wanted him to say. Louis was a confusing child at times. He asked a lot of puzzling questions that no child should be even thinking about, but then, he was more like his real grandfather than anyone wanted to admit.

Louis stood on the chair, putting the Mog and Cait puppet aside and reached into the wooden box to pull out different one.

He picked up the younger version of his adopted grandfather. The puppet had a mop of black hair, a scruffy beard and a very ornate, long, blue jacket.

"Did Grandpa used to wear a dress?" Louis questioned as he examined the doll.

Vincent couldn't help but smirk. "Only on special occasions."

Louis shook his head and placed the puppet of his grandfather back in the case. He pointed to another one. "Tell me about this guy. Tell me what you really thought about fighting alongside him."

Vincent shook his head. The puppet even had a cigarette hanging out of its sneering mouth, goggles on its forehead, and a bandage on its brow. Its small hands had a snap where the spear could be added, but the weapon was currently still in the case.

"Cid was a character," Vincent said and didn't bother to hide his smile at the thought of him.

"He was a pilot, right?" Louis asked as he tugged at the cigarette.

"Yes, he was. He was a very good pilot. He had a loud mouth and could fly anything. He was a very good man," Vincent said with a sad tone. He missed talking with Cid — It was more like Cid talking to him — but he never did mind listening to the man babble on about his ship, his day, or the fact that his tea was cold again.

"Did I ever meet him?" Louis asked as he put the doll on his fingers and made it bow.

"He died before you were born. He was married to Shera. You know her. She works with your grandfather when they are dealing with the Aeronautics and Aviation Division." Vincent reached forward with his clawed hand and took the puppet from Louis. "He was a good man and is missed."

Louis scrunched his lips together. "From what Grandpa said, he swore, smoked, and was rude."

Vincent nodded, because he couldn't discount that. "That doesn't make you a bad person."

"Then explain her," Louis said and pointed to the puppet that was of a young Yuffie.

"There is little that can explain her," Vincent said dryly. She still acted like a child even though she had two of her own and was the leader of Wutai. She had not changed from the days of travel and wished he could figure out how to block her on his phone.

Louis seemed to contemplate that for a moment, but as with most children, didn't think on it too long as he pulled out another one of the puppets.

"Is this Sephiroth?" Louis said as he lifted it high. "He has hair like a girl."

Vincent watched as Louis twirled the long yarn-type hair around a finger. The figure was wearing a black jacket, the SOLDIER belt and his telltale buckles that crossed his bare chest. The eyes were bright green beads.

"I only knew him from battle," Vincent said slowly. He had difficulty talking about Sephiroth even after all this time. "I failed to protect him as a child and he became a monster because of my neglect."

Louis screwed up his face in thought again. "What does that mean? Did you let him be bitten by a dog or something?"

Vincent shook his head. Louis' biggest fear was the Guard Hound that Reeve obtained for him, thinking that it would allow the boy more freedom. It backfired as the hound ran over the boy, and when Louis tried to give the beast a treat, it bit him. Louis wanted nothing to do with the pet now and Vincent believed that it was shipped off with Denzel, but he couldn't quite remember if that was accurate.

"No. I was unable to help him when he was young," Vincent said and looked away from the boy.

"Why?"

He wanted to tell Louis that it was none of his business and that he didn't want to talk about it. He knew that the boy didn't mean anything by the innocent question, but he found himself answering. "I was hurt by the same man that was hurt Sephiroth."

Louis nodded and placed the Sephiroth figure back in. He pointed to the three other ones that were stored beside the Sephiroth puppet. All images of the three Remnants that Sephiroth had created to exact his revenge on the planet.

"I remember Grandpa mentioning these guys. This one," Louis said and pointed to the one with the shaggy white hair that resembled Kadaj, "ate Jenova and became Sephiroth."

Vincent snorted at the over simplification. "Something like that."

"I don't understand how they popped up though. Grandpa said something about spirit energy and that Sephiroth was holding a grudge while in the Lifestream. How can you hold a grudge if you're dead?"

Vincent was amused by the question. "People that die before they are meant to often hold grudges; most aren't powerful enough to act upon it."

Louis ran his hands over all three puppets that were representatives of the parts of Sephiroth. "Well, that's just silly. Why don't they wait until that person dies and then they can beat them up in the Lifestream?"

"Because you can't hurt them when they are already dead," Vincent responded and took a seat in the other chair so that he could look at the small boy in the eye instead of looking down at him.

"That is so stupid," Louis said and reached into the box and pulled out a small figure that caused the boy to laugh. "Red Monster!" he said happily and put the puppet on his fingers and waggled it around. He reached for the accessory and picked out one of the feathers and placed it behind its ear. "Was he always so snotty?"

"Snotty?" Vincent asked, glad the conversation had turned away from Sephiroth and the Remnants, but he was certain that Louis was going to ask more strange questions as he went through the box.

"He always looks down on me and squint. Like this." Louis paused to demonstrate how Nanaki squinted at him and screwed up his face in an amusing manner. "I don't think he likes me."

"It may have something to do with the fact that you call him 'Red Monster'," Vincent said. Louis played with the puppet's tail for a moment before he put it back in the box.

"I guess," Louis said. "It is just always weird to hear him talk and it not be one of Grandpa's robots."

Vincent was amused at what the child's definition of weird was. It was different growing up in the Tuesti household though as there was always something new roaming the halls when he arrived.

He was more startled by the children than the strange animatronics.

"Nanaki has a strong tie to Gaia and still disapproves of some of the actions that are being taken by the WRO and your grandfather," Vincent said. "He is a good warrior and has a lot of pride in his ancestry. There are only a few of his kind left and he remembers well those that hurt him in the past."

Louis threw the little finger puppet back in the case. "But I did nothing to him!"

"No, you have not, but he has a long memory and he has a hard time with forgiveness."

"Mommy said that you shouldn't hold a grudge. It makes you an ugly person," Louis said as he moved to grab another puppet from the box.

He didn't argue that point with him. He didn't need to burden him with the knowledge that it was sometimes easier to hold a grudge than to deal with the past pain.

Louis smiled. "This is Barret!" The puppet was quite large compared to the others as it suited the man. Louis had to use three fingers to have the puppet sit properly in his hand as he made him prance and dance in front of him. "Was he always so gruff?"

"Yes, he was," Vincent said. "He was a good leader and was very focused on the fact that he had to protect the planet and Marlene."

"Marlene always complains that he is overprotective," Louis said matter-of-factly. Vincent didn't argue with that point. Even now, with Marlene an adult and working for the WRO, he would still throw 'tantrums' about her going on dangerous missions, even if it was just a board meeting in Junon. It was a good thing that Marlene was strong-willed enough to tell him to back down. Barret would grumble about it but he would let his daughter do her job.

Eventually.

Vincent tried to remember what her title was, but it eluded him. She was very good at what she did for Reeve, at least that was what he was told. Reeve had announced that she would be taking over as the leader of the WRO when he retired … after she won an argument with Barret.

"What is with his hand here?" The puppet showed the miner with his trademark gun-hand back then. He had since upgraded it to a hand that looked more human to make his work easier.

"He had a weapon grafted onto his hand when he initially lost it," Vincent explained. "It was a common practice back then to graft different parts of weapons into a person."

"Why?"

Vincent held up his gauntlet that he never took off. "It was easier to find spare parts that are weapons than actual working pieces of a human." He flexed his brass fingers and Louis' mouth made a small 'o' shape in realization. He looked at it as if he had not considered that Vincent had some parts that were not original.

"I thought that was a weird glove that you liked to scare people with," Louis said and reached forward and touched the brass briefly before pulling back. "Is it like grandpa's machines?"

"The parts that were inserted in me are not mechanical in nature."

Louis' brow furrowed and he brought his hand to his chin as he stood on the chair, contemplating the situation. For a moment, Vincent could see parts of his lost parentage shining through. It was quite startling at times to see those bits of their parents emerge in the children. "They had human spare parts for you?"

"They weren't human."

That seemed to startle the boy, but instead of explaining he pointed to the case that had his other personas in the form of finger puppets. They were not as threatening as he knew how they looked.

Death Gigas, Hellmasker, Galian, and Chaos forms were represented there. Death Gigas looked like a version of the Frankenstein monster with all the stitches that held its green parts together and oversized bolts on his neck. Galian looked like a purple dog and had an oversized tongue. Galian had made it known that he was not happy about that personification to Reeve before. Hellmasker was just a black tube with a white mask on it that had hands that could be fitted with the accessory of the chainsaw. Chaos had the most detail but still looked almost comical in nature. He was glad the demon was sleeping so that it could not yell at him at the blasphemy of being represented in such a state.

"You have seen Galian before," he said. "Don't you remember?" He reached forward and grabbed his doppelgangers and placed them on his human hand. He had not worn the puppets before and they were surprisingly comfortable on his fingers. He showed them to Louis who was looking a little worried.

"They put parts of monsters in you?"

"The only way that I survived was with these demons," he said.

"Why?"

Vincent hated that question because it would have meant so many different things. "You will have to clarify the question." Vincent looked at the figures on his fingers. The demons that remained seldom came to the surface anymore.

"Why would they put demon parts in you?"

"They were handy and I was dead," Vincent said. "I was a suitable test subject."

Louis stood back on the chair and reached in and grabbed two figures. "It was this guy that did it, right? Mojo?" He held up the little doll that resembled Hojo. It wore a tattered lab coat, glasses and had long yarn hair tied back in a ponytail.

He didn't correct the name that Louis had given the puppet.

"He was a cause of a lot," Vincent said. He could hear the growl rising in his throat and Galian wanting to push forward. The demons all had their reasons for hating Hojo and were all quite happy that he was dead. They all wished they had more of a hand in his death.

Seeing the doll made him and the awake demons angry even though there was nothing more he could do to hurt Hojo. Hojo was dead and was going to remain that way.

'He was a cause of a lot of problems,' was a mild statement on how he felt about the man.

The other figure that Louis held he felt very different about.

Lucrecia.

Her hair was a large flow of tan yarn that was wrapped in a yellow ribbon. She was wearing the clothes that she was buried in, not the ones that she usually wore in the lab, but with the white flowing robes and even the string of pearls that she always wore around her neck.

"Grandpa said that the Crystal Lady used to be your girlfriend," Louis said as he held up the girl puppet. "He also said that the Crystal Lady had been in the crystal for a long time, like older than Grandpa. So, are you older than grandpa too?"

He nodded. "Yes, I'm older than your grandfather."

"Crystal Lady was your girlfriend then?" Louis said as he held the doll in his hand.

"Once upon a time," he said and looked at the demons instead. He wouldn't know if she was ever his boyfriend or if he was just the other man, but she had meant a lot to him. He kept looking at the puppets on his fingers; it was easier to look at them, than the small figure in Louis' hand. He didn't think about her as often anymore but she was in his thoughts a lot more than he liked to admit.

It took him a moment to remember the last time that he had visited the cave where she was still encased. Cid had been still alive then. He fondly remembered the old man had given him hell for still being a broody bastard. He had bluntly told him to get over the girl and find himself a new one.

"Like a fairy tale?" Louis said with a suddenly bright smile that made Vincent frown. His relationship with her was nothing like a fairy tale. He had loved her and he could not deny that past emotion, but his feelings had darkened towards her when Chaos had returned to his place of rest. He folded his hand with the puppets and they were all gathered in his palm.

He didn't like digging up these feelings that he had worked hard on suppressing.

"Well, you didn't get the girl in the end, so it can't be a fairy tale," Louis said as he put Hojo back in the case. He held up the other puppet. "Did you love her?"

He nodded.

"She is a very pretty lady," Louis said.

"She was," Vincent corrected and started to take the demon puppets off his fingers and place them back inside the case.

"Do you miss her, Mr. Valentine?" Louis asked.

He thought about it for a moment. "I try not to."

They sat in silence for a little bit as he finished putting his demons in the box and Louis put Lucrecia beside Hojo.

Louis' hand went over the other character that wore a lab coat in the box. He watched Louis' face as he looked at it but said nothing. His face was blank and his little shoulders tensed as he looked at it. It was the other scientist from the past that arose from the dead to cause havoc and nearly destroy the world with his mad ambitions. Louis had gotten caught up in those battles. Reeve had been frantic in over the whole situation.

It was just two years ago, making Louis five at the time. He didn't know what the boy endured at the hand of the mad man. He had been completing a different part of the operation to get him back from his kidnappers and hadn't been there to witness the demise of Fuhito.

Louis moved his hand from the figure, completely passing it over. He wiggled the chair as he scanned the rest of the puppets. He tugged on the corner of the box and pulled out ones that Vincent knew as Zack Fair that resided beside the figure of Cloud.

"Did you know Zack?" Louis asked as he pulled out the accessory for Zack. It was the famous, large sword in miniature form. He placed it in the puppet's hand. "Cloud told me his story once but he kept stopping and losing his place. He seemed confused. Tifa wasn't very good at telling his story either."

"I know we all owe him a great favour for saving Cloud," Vincent said and pointed to the other figure beside him. "I understand that is Angeal. That was Zack's teacher. I did not know him either."

Louis chewed his lip. "Cloud isn't around much any more, is he? Grandpa was trying to get a hold of him and he said he was falling back into his old habits and not answering his phone again. He says that is a trait that you share with him."

He ignored the jab about him not answering his phone and watched Louis pick up the doll that resembled Cloud. His hair was a bright yellow felt and he was wearing a black outfit with a lot of buckles. "He has been through a lot," Vincent said as he watched Louis put the figure on his finger.

"Tifa makes excuses for him too," Louis said and poked at the spiky hair with his other hand.

"He didn't have thirty years locked in a coffin to go through all that tormenting thoughts and pains that he was thrown into," Vincent defended. He liked Cloud. He was one of the few of the group that really understood what he had gone through … because he had faced the same demons and monsters that he had once upon a time.

Cloud was just lucky that his demons didn't manifest themselves when he got angry or hurt.

Louis put the finger puppet back into the case and then pointed to one that had hair made of red velvet and a red leather jacket. "He's the guy that is always spouting off poetry, right?"

Vincent smirked at that. "Yes, that's him."

Louis reached up and picked up one of his accessories, it was a small white novel with the tiny word 'LOVELESS' written on the spine.

"He's crazy," Louis said. "He kept glaring at me the whole time he was here last. I didn't do anything to him and he kept calling me names. When I called him a 'poofy red rooster' he got all in a huff. I didn't like him calling me a little brat and I don't like him."

Vincent nodded. "The man is insane but he has had his useful moments." Vincent had a few incidents with the man that even brought out his demons into play. Hellmasker was drawn to the former SOLDIER and his poetry. He was quite happy when the ex-SOLDIER built a home back in Banora and kept to himself. The only time he left now was when there was a play or other such drama that he felt compelled to attend.

Genesis was not an easy man to work with and Vincent hoped that he never had to deal with him again.

He knew that he would most likely deal with him soon as Genesis had taken it upon himself to take care of Weiss, or the shell of the man that remained. Weiss' mind was completely broken and shattered from Hojo using his body, the loss of his brother, and the dealings he had with Fuhito in the last battle. Genesis insisted that he would be responsible for his 'brother' since he failed them the first time around.

Vincent didn't ask what that meant but he didn't need to know the whole sordid tale; it somehow involved Hojo, and Hojo screwed up people's lives.

Louis' hand walked over the figures of Weiss and Nero. His fingers paused on Weiss before moving on to four other slots that contained figures that wore dark blue suits; Tseng, Elena, Reno and Rude. Louis giggled as he pulled out the Reno puppet which had long red yarn for the hair, little goggles on its head and blue beads for its eyes. The suit was even sloppy.

Reno's hair was no longer as vibrant of a colour. In fact he was completely grey now, but he still was annoying and a bothersome person to have around. "He sure had some long hair," Louis said. "He would look better with red than his white hair."

"That happens with age," Vincent said and didn't want to add that he was sure part of it was that Reno couldn't be bothered to dye it any longer.

"You don't like him, do you?" Louis asked as he placed the figure back in the case.

That was an underestimation. Reno pushed on his nerves in manners that he didn't think was feasible. With his impossible accent, slouched pose and mouth that constantly was moving. He had to work with the pesky man once and he wanted to throw him out the window because he just wouldn't stop talking.

"He tries my patience," he said diplomatically.

Louis shook his head and gave a half smile as he pointed to the suited woman puppet with the blond hair. "I don't know her."

"That was Elena," Vincent said. He did not remember too much of her. lThere were a few incidents that he dealt with her; the time that she slapped Cloud when she thought he had killed Tseng and when she was unconscious when he rescued her from the Remanants but that was all he remembered of her before she died.

Louis nodded. "Tseng mentions her from time to time," he said and looked at the puppet of Tseng. The hair was made of black wool and the eyes were of dark brown beads with a bead in the center of his forehead.

Tseng no longer considered himself a 'Turk'. None of them were for awhile as there was no more Shin-Ra for them to be employed. Reeve employed all the 'Turks' in the Securities and Proprieties division. Reeve had tried to get them not to call themselves 'Turks' but the name had slipped back into use.

Tseng was incapable of being as active as he was in the past. The damage to his heart made it near impossible for him to run, and the fact that he was missing one of his legs made it near impossible for him to sneak up on people. He guarded Louis' mother and Louis and made sure they were safe. One never really quit being a Turk, they just changed their role.

"Reno always says that Tseng needs to get the stick out of his ass," Louis said as he poked the figure's dot in the middle of its forehead. "He says the same thing about Rude too."

Vincent looked directly into the blue eyes of the boy and frowned. "You spend too much time with Reno."

Tseng was one of the few men of which he enjoyed the company. He was a man that was complex and hid much, but he always knew where he stood with him. He had a job to do and he did it no matter what got in his way.

Rude was a little different. The dark-skinned man was silent and stayed in the shadows while he let Reno take all the limelight.

None of the remaining Turks were as strong as they once were, but then, he wasn't one to talk.

Louis' eyes fell on the empty slot. "Do you know which doll is missing?

He nodded.

"Who?"

"Rufus Shinra, the former President of the Shin-Ra corporation," he said. Louis would know enough of that history to know the name.

The small boy's fingers pressed against the hole and his breath hitched. Vincent reached forward and touched the small boy's shoulder. Reeve kept saying that he didn't know, but Vincent was certain that he did.

"Mommy has that doll with her in her room," he said in a small voice. "I think. She hides it under her pillow every time I go in." Louis reached up and closed the case of puppets and ran his hands over it. "What did you think of him?"

Vincent was certain that Louis had heard from all the other sources some pretty bad things about Rufus Shinra. "He was a man obsessed with control," Vincent said simply, "when he had no real control on all the plots were already laid out into play, it made him hard, cold and distant."

Louis sat down on the chair and tugged at the hem of his large shirt. He seemed to contemplate his words before he looked up at him again. "He's dead too, right?"

Vincent nodded. There was nothing that could have been done to stop the terrorist act. They had lost Rufus, along with Cid, Elena, and a group of men that were way too young to be in the military. It was when Tseng got injured as he was the only one that survived ground zero.

Rufus had never been a well-liked man.

"Did mommy know him?"

Vincent shook his head. "She was very little when he died." He tried to remember her age when that all happened. He had a hard time remembering exactly the ages of people around him when he had a difficulty remembering his own.

"Did Grandpa know him?"

"Your grandfather knew him quite well," Vincent looked at the door to see Reeve standing there. Reeve had been there for the last few minutes of the conversation. Reeve was old and it startled Vincent to see him look like that. His mind's eye kept seeing him as the young leader of the WRO, not the man with his hair and beard peppered with grey, and having to use a cane to walk. The smaller version of Cait Sith stood on his shoulder. Reeve wore a concerned look on his face.

Louis still didn't notice that his grandfather was at the door. The young boy fiddled with the hem of his shirt and chewed his lip a bit before blurting, "Some people say that I look like him when he was younger. Is that true?"

"I never knew him when he was younger," Vincent said. He had very little to do with Shinra and liked it that way, "so I can't answer that."

Louis heaved a great sigh that shook his whole body.

That was when Reeve decided to announce his presence. "There you two are. I thought you were lost." He made a loud click of his cane as he walked in. Vincent noted that Tseng was in the hall as well.

Tseng was never far from Louis when Vincent thought about it. Even with his limited physical capabilities, Tseng was still a formidable man to get through. Vincent had only talked to him briefly during the time that Louis was kidnapped, but knew the man took on more responsibility for the situation than he should have.

Louis twisted in his chair and rolled his eyes before he turned back. "I don't wanna go," came out a heavy whine. He sat properly in the chair, crossed his arms and set his face in a pout. "That tutor's dumb. I want to go see mom."

Reeve chuckled. "He's a very smart man and you need to keep up with your lessons." Vincent stood from his chair as Reeve walked deeper into the study. "You can see your mother once you are done with your lessons. Tseng will take you." Vincent could see Tseng move to the entrance but not enter the room.

Louis glared at Reeve from his spot in the chair. "I would rather talk with Mr. Valentine. Can't he tutor me?"

Vincent furrowed his brow at the suggestion. Reeve took it in stride. "I'm afraid he wouldn't know how to use your computer to help you."

Vincent showed his displeasure at the statement but Reeve ignored his look.

"Don't argue with me young man," Reeve said and tapped his cane on his chair. "The longer you take with your lessons the longer it will before you can see your mother. Now, hop on down and go with Tseng."

Louis grumbled and jumped down from the chair and shuffled to the door where Tseng waited to escort him to his tutoring session. Reeve watched him go and as soon as they were out of sight he visibly slumped.

"The truth always comes out," Vincent said. "You thought you were protecting them by not telling them, but it still came to haunt them and you."

Reeve took the seat that Louis had vacated. The small cat on his shoulder was stroking Reeve's hair. Vincent didn't think Reeve knew how emotive the cat was for him. "I was just trying to protect them." He looked a lot more tired than he did a moment ago.

"I know you were," Vincent said.

Reeve lifted his eyes to him. "I should have listened to you from the beginning."

Vincent nodded and put his hand on the case. "Secrets always lead to problems. I know as well as anyone."

Reeve was silent as they looked at each other. Vincent watched Reeve who was still and silent. The little cat on his shoulder sat there and gave a worried look and wrung its little hands together.

"We are all puppets, Reeve." Vincent tapped his finger on the case. "The strings are being pulled and we often have little control of how they will affect us. The best of intentions often cause knots and we get twisted in them."

Reeve made a little snorting sound. "You do have a way with words sometimes, Vincent."

Vincent stepped toward Reeve. "You're not at fault for all that happened." The little cat looked suddenly so sad and went to smoothing its hand through Reeve's hair again.

Reeve looked at the box and patted it. "So, what did you tell Louis about your opinion on me? I missed that part of the conversation."

"We hold the same opinion of you," Vincent said, "You are a strange man with strange toys." He pointed to the small cat on his shoulder. "But you have a big heart."

Reeve barked a laugh and shook his head. "I'm a fool."

"A good-intentioned fool," Vincent said as he stood beside Reeve and offered his hand to him. "Now, shall we go talk some business?"

Reeve nodded. "Yes. You didn't just come here to tell Louis old stories." Reeve grabbed his hand and stood. "Will you be staying around for a while this time?"

He nodded. He had not intended to be gone as long as he was. Time was one of the things of which he had difficulty.

"Good," Reeve said as they started to walk out of the study. "Maybe we can teach you to charge and use phone so we can get a hold of you easier."

Vincent scowled as he followed Reeve. "Maybe I should change my opinion of you next time Louis asks."

Reeve smiled at him and for a moment, he looked like the younger man that he knew as the leader of the WRO. Time was taking its toll on all of them. There would be very few soon that would know who was in that suitcase and how important that they were.


End file.
